How Solar Panels Work

Solar panels capture sunlight to power your home.

Solar power feels like a miracle. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west every day of every year, and with the simple technology of solar panels on your roof, it can power your entire home with free electricity.

No fuels. No emissions. Just free electricity.

Learn how solar panels power your home with sunshine.

Step 1: Solar Panels Capture Sunlight

Your solar system captures and converts sunlight into clean, efficient energy that can power your home year round! Here’s how it all starts.

Your solar system is comprised of an array of solar panels, which are made up of photovoltaic (PV) cells. When the sun shines on these cells, they produce Direct Current (or DC) electricity.

Step 2: Electricity is Converted to Power Your Home

The DC electricity captured from the PV cells on the solar panels then flows into a piece of equipment tucked behind each solar panel, called a microinverter (or in some cases, an optimizer).

The DC electricity is converted into the type of electricity used to power your home, called Alternating Current (or AC) electricity.

Having this piece of equipment behind each individual panel is called “panel optimization,” and it allows panels to operate independently. If one panel goes down or is blocked by shade, it doesn’t affect the other panels!

Step 3: A Net Meter Measures Your Electricity Usage and Excess

The electricity then flows into a net meter, which is a bidirectional meter your utility company installs when your solar system is installed. It measures how much electricity you use from your utility company and how much electricity your solar system is generating.

If your system produces excess electricity, your net meter allows you to send back into the grid your excess solar electricity that your system generates, creating an electricity “credit” for you.

Step 4: Enjoy Your Solar-Powered Home!

The net meter distributes the electricity throughout your home. It’s no different than utility-generated power, except that it’s clean power generated by the sun!

It’s something you can feel good about. Use it to power your life, your appliances, and more.

So go ahead… make a pot of coffee and raise your cup to energy independence, saving money, and doing your part to help the planet.

Power your business with solar.

Offers and financing are available to customers who qualify, vary by location, and are not available in all areas. We customize our solar power system specifically for your facility, therefore, pricing, savings, utility bill, solar bill amounts and actual returns vary based on different factors including but not limited to your location, system size, available solar incentives and local utility rates. See terms and conditions for more details.